In Alfie Kohn's article, he discusses the use of grades as a way of giving feedback, but not as a way of measuring knowledge or success. Kohn advocates that grades are a good way to give a student feedback as to what he/she has yet to master and what areas he/she should work on.
This idea left me wondering how grading for feedback would actually work. Why use a number or letter grade to give feedback, when the student would benefit more from written comments or one-on-one discussions with the teacher about his/her progress? How would this feedback then be used? If grades are irrelevant, then the student would not use the feedback to boast the quality of his/her grade. How would a teacher then assess whether or not the student is actually using this feedback unless the class was given some sort of assessment exam? Perhaps I am over-thinking Kohn's idea, but I'm afraid I don't see the merit of his argument.
I do believe that feedback is important, though. For example, in an essay-writing course, comments on rough drafts guide students so they can produce their best possible work. This work, however, must be assessed somehow to assure that the student has been heeding the advice of the teacher.
My question is this: Can you think of a situation where a grade for feedback purposes only would be useful without a subsequent assessment or opportunity to show that the feedback has been put to good use?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Shelby's Question
Shelby's Question: How is standardized testing detrimental to the classroom?
Standardized testing takes away from valuable class time. This week, students will be missing four periods a day for three days while taking the MCAS test. These hours will be lost to standardized testing, not to mention the numerous hours devoted to preparing for the exam. Teachers must spend time teaching students various test strategies in addition to preparing them for the material.
By teaching students to these standardized tests, teachers are being limited as to what they can teach in the classroom. Curricula are developed with testing in mind, leaving out exciting, valuable material to include test prep time. Teachers are asked to prepare their students for the MCAS by adjusting their tests and projects to incorporate aspects of the standardized test for more practice.
Students also have a difficult time responding to the demands of the tests. Many students do not like being told that they have to take a test because it is mandatory. Although students have to do a lot of things they might not necessarily want to do, the demanding nature of the MCAS leaves them feeling angry and frustrated. The length of the test and the highly controlled atmosphere can become suffocating and unbearable for young teenagers.
Do you think there is a better way to assess whether or not a student is ready to graduate than by taking the MCAS or other state comprehension assessment?
Standardized testing takes away from valuable class time. This week, students will be missing four periods a day for three days while taking the MCAS test. These hours will be lost to standardized testing, not to mention the numerous hours devoted to preparing for the exam. Teachers must spend time teaching students various test strategies in addition to preparing them for the material.
By teaching students to these standardized tests, teachers are being limited as to what they can teach in the classroom. Curricula are developed with testing in mind, leaving out exciting, valuable material to include test prep time. Teachers are asked to prepare their students for the MCAS by adjusting their tests and projects to incorporate aspects of the standardized test for more practice.
Students also have a difficult time responding to the demands of the tests. Many students do not like being told that they have to take a test because it is mandatory. Although students have to do a lot of things they might not necessarily want to do, the demanding nature of the MCAS leaves them feeling angry and frustrated. The length of the test and the highly controlled atmosphere can become suffocating and unbearable for young teenagers.
Do you think there is a better way to assess whether or not a student is ready to graduate than by taking the MCAS or other state comprehension assessment?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Alternatives to Testing
In class today we discussed some alternatives to testing. The subject of participation quickly became a topic of interest, as we determined what qualifies as participations and what is just "nonsense chatter". I think a 'subcategory' of participation that could potentially be a good alternative to traditional testing is student teaching. Student teaching would require students to master the material well enough to present it to the class as though they were the teacher.
I have often heard that one truly learns something when he/she is required to teach it, so why not implement this idea in the classroom. By having students teach their peers, they become well-versed in the information, and they may even come up with methods of teaching to their peers that an older teacher may not have thought of. Students may even benefit from learning a topic from their peers in a way that is more relate-able. This idea does not mean that the teacher does not teach anymore and lets the students take over, instead, at the completion of a particular unit, the teacher can assign students to different parts of the chapter and have them do a short presentation to the class. Students who feel uncomfortable presenting in front of the class may opt to hand in a written version of their lesson plan, detailing what they would do if they did not suffer from social anxiety. Although this idea is not perfect and can use some improvement, I think it is a step int he right direction.
Do you have any ideas of testing alternatives that you have either seen implemented in a classroom or have implemented yourself in a student-teaching experience?
I have often heard that one truly learns something when he/she is required to teach it, so why not implement this idea in the classroom. By having students teach their peers, they become well-versed in the information, and they may even come up with methods of teaching to their peers that an older teacher may not have thought of. Students may even benefit from learning a topic from their peers in a way that is more relate-able. This idea does not mean that the teacher does not teach anymore and lets the students take over, instead, at the completion of a particular unit, the teacher can assign students to different parts of the chapter and have them do a short presentation to the class. Students who feel uncomfortable presenting in front of the class may opt to hand in a written version of their lesson plan, detailing what they would do if they did not suffer from social anxiety. Although this idea is not perfect and can use some improvement, I think it is a step int he right direction.
Do you have any ideas of testing alternatives that you have either seen implemented in a classroom or have implemented yourself in a student-teaching experience?
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